The First Quarter Quell
by taylormo96
Summary: The First Quarter Quell follows four of the twenty four tributes voted into the twenty fifth anniversary of the games: Taylor, a District Four career focused on victory, Birch, a social outcast determined to protect the youngest contestant, Harrison, a confused tribute who wants to prove himself, and Dakota, a female tribute from District Six who only wants to honor her mother.
1. Chapter 1

_This is a story my friend and I have been working on together as a way to fight writers block. It takes place in Panem, but includes many different characters and settings from some of our favorite movies, TV shows, and books. I hope you enjoy!_

**Chapter 1 – Taylor**

Taylor's mind was racing as she wove her fingers through her hair, braiding it back out of her face. She couldn't decide how today's reaping would go. The same thoughts flickered through her mind that had since President Snow had announced the first Quarter Quell.

She had just returned home from a hard day of training by the docks, sweat still beading on her forehead from her run, but her parents were not interested in how her day had gone like usual, but were glued to tele-projector in their living room.

Her younger brother, Avery, was playing with a piece of string, working on his knots and not paying any attention to what was going on around him, like usual. Her sister, Logan, was sitting at the table in the kitchen, drinking a glass of water, her eyes fixed on the projector as well.

"What's going on?" Taylor asked, getting a glass of water for herself.

"Important message from the Capitol." Logan responded under her breath without looking up from the screen where the Capitol logo was turning in circles in a hypnotic way.

Taylor took a seat beside her and waited with the rest of her family. She was sure that this message had to do with the twenty fifth anniversary of the games that were happening this year, just as sure that President Snow wore a wig.

The President of Panem stood at a podium overlooking the Capitol when the screen cleared. His unnaturally thick black hair had been combed back and gelled and his skin looked buffed and shiny just like all the people of the Capitol.

"In honor of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Hunger Games and as a reminder to our districts that the Hunger Games are their faults, the male and female tributes will be voted on by the districts themselves. We look forward to celebrating with you." And with those words and a roaring cheer growing from within the Capitol and through our tele-projector, the screen went blank, leaving all the districts speechless.

"Could you braid my hair once you finish yours?" Logan asks, holding a pale ribbon in her hands. Taylor could only tell by the vibrating movement of the end of her ribbon that her hands were shaking in nervous excitement. She got this way at every reaping.

"Sure thing." Taylor said, reaching the end of the strand. She had braided the front of her hair and let the braid lay loose by her ear, "Just a normal braid?" Taylor asked as Logan crouched in front of her.

"Yes, please." Her voice calm as she held the ribbon up for me to use to tie off once Taylor finished.

"You wearing your new dress?" Taylor asked tying the ribbon in a bow and letting the braid fall to her back. She nods, "You're nervous you're not going to be picked, aren't you?" Taylor took in a breath and nodded.

She had been working towards entering the games when she reached her last year, knowing she had a strong chance of winning, but President Snows announcement ruined her whole plan. Her fate was in the hands of the people, and if they did not think she was strong enough they would surely choose someone else. And what if they used this as an opportunity to get rid of people they didn't like… her chances would be ruined. She did not have another year after this.

"You ready to go?" The two jittery girls' dad asks, clasping a hand on her shoulder. Taylor nod, keeping her lips shut. The future winner of the first quarter quell should not be nervous.

Logan and Taylor walked together towards the square together, keeping their heads held high. Taylor was afraid that looking in the eyes of those around her would convey her fear, turning their vote towards someone more worthy.

Unlike the normal check in, for the Quarter Quell everyone was required to cast their vote for who they wanted to send into the games. The peacekeepers had numerous large tablets that catalogued each eligible citizen, divided by age and gender. Each were restricted to thirty seconds each to choose, or your own name was put in along with a random name from the opposite genders. This helped to keep the line moving. For the adults, their closest related eligible child would be entered when their time was up.

Taylor voted for herself within five seconds of her allotted time and spent the last few seconds deciding which guy to vote for. She was having second thoughts about who she wanted to travel with her, someone strong, as an ally? Or someone weak to help her get closer to her goal of becoming the twenty-fifth victory? She voted for her friend Dalton, knowing he would make a decent ally, but also keep her from being so nervous the whole time.

She gave Logan a hug before moving into the section for eighteen year old girls and waited patiently for the votes to come in. It was not long before District Four's Capitol escort, Flux Scrymgeour, took the stage, giving the crowd an excited cheer. "Welcome, welcome! Today we celebrate the twenty-fifth Hunger Games, the first Quarter Quell!"

Taylor had always enjoyed watching Flux on reaping day. He had this sparkle in his eye as he spoke, his lips were always pulled into a genuine smile, and his hair was always dyed a different shade of blue, probably in honor of the seas of the district. This year it was a pale teal color.

Mayor Vipointe took to the stage, making a speech that no one paid attention to, and introduced District Fours victors. District Four had heralded three victors within the past twenty four years. All were males, the youngest had won two years ago and had been one of Taylor's good friends, Newt. But apparently victors were too good to socialize with trainees, and she rarely spoke to him now.

"Before we discover who will be representing us in this years games, we have a word from the Capitol." Flux said, pointing towards the screens on either side of the stage. Taylor knew the whole video by heart, having heard it every year since she was a child. She could not help but smile when one of her friends beside her was mumbling the words beside her.

Her favorite part came on the screen, where the video showed the fake victors being crowned by President Snow. Taylor wanted that crown. She needed it to sit by her bed as a reminder of her hard work and her success.

Her hands were starting to shake as the video came to a close and Flux clapped his hands together, "Now! For the results."

Two gold envelopes sat on the tables where the large glass bowls that held the names usually sat. Flux made a show of picking up the first envelope, picking up a knife from the table to slice the top open, and pulling a out a crisp white card. Taylor had not taken a breath the whole time.

"Our female tribute for the first Quarter Quell is … Miss …" Flux had this awful habit of adding pauses for dramatic effect … a habit that Taylor wanted to strangle him for right now, "Taylor McGinnis! Come up here dear! Give her an applause."

Her heart had stopped and her knees almost failed her but that was not for long. She was beaming and walking as fast as she could towards the stage. The crowd was a mix of cheers and silence. Not everyone in District Four was in support of the trainees, some even disgusted by Taylor's joy as she stood next to Flux on stage, smiling down at her sister and family mixed into the crowd.

"And now, for the boys." Flux said, plucking up the second gold envelope. The clean slice through the paper made Taylor's stomach lurch as she braced meeting her future opponent. "Our male tribute for the first Quarter Quell is… Mr… Landon Hammack."

Landon was an acquaintance of Taylor's. Someone she saw often, spoke to occasionally, but rarely hung out with. As he reached the stage, Landon winked in Taylor's direction as she mentally sighed.

"And may the odds be ever in your favor!" Flux announced putting his tan hands on both their shoulders, showing off his tributes to District Four, to the Capitol, and to all of Panem.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2 - Birch**

Birch's muscles were sore from the long night he had spent in the woods the night before. He needed to think, clear his mind, and the only way he knew how to do that was to stay away from home, whatever that was. He had stayed out later than he ever had, skipping supper, and only coming home when the peace keepers yelled from the edge of the tree line that curfew was in fifteen minutes.

The peace keepers were on the top of the list of people who treated him like a human being, along with Mr. Jack who cut wood next to him all day long, and Grand May who had taken him in as a child. Aside from them, Birch was undesirable, worthless, the offspring of a traitor to the people of District Seven.

The strongly built boy was up out of the shack home before the first leaks of sun hit the pale grey sky. He pulled on a thin shirt, grabbed his bag, and headed out the door.

Birch would be lying if he said he was not in fear of his life more than he ever had been the morning of the reaping. He knew he took out the most tessera of any of the kids in District Seven, but even that did not worry him.

Neither did the looks almost everyone in town sent him whenever a young child was reaped, expecting him out of the whole crowd to volunteer and take their place. They wanted him dead, and today was the perfect opportunity for them to insure that happened. Birch had a few last minute things to settle before he was whisked away to the Capitol in one of their fancy trains.

District Seven was a beautiful district, if you liked trees and cold muggy weather. There never seemed to be a lack of grey clouds covering the sky, almost like a blanket. The trees that had not been cut down by the District within the past hundred of years towered to eye widening heights. Grand May had told Birch when he was younger that even the buildings of the Capitol did not reach the sky like the sequoia trees that stood the tallest and thickest of all the trees.

Birch took a deep breath once he reached his first stop. He picked up one of the pebbles around his feet and chunked it towards the window, hitting his mark with perfect aim. He had thrown rocks at carved targets on trees to pass time when he was younger because of his lack of friends. His aim came in handy from time to time.

A dazed blonde lifted up the shutter on her window and looked down at Birch confused. He held up an envelope and put underneath a stone for her to see before walking away. His face displayed no emotion. Not even the scar on his forehead creased in on itself like it did whenever he knit his eyebrows together.

"Birch! Wait!" He heard Carol yell from her window. She just felt guilty or pity or some emotion in that genre that Birch did not want to deal with. If she wanted to talk she could do it after Birch's corpse returned from the games.

Grand May was waiting for him at the door when he got back to the house, her calloused and leathery hands were hanging up the laundry for the week. It was a painful reminder that the load would half in size after today.

Birch was not going to lie to himself. He knew the district would pick him as their male tribute. They despised him too much for things he never did to let the opportunity to get rid of him pass. He knew Grand May knew as well, but she would not say anything about it to him, not since President Snow made his announcement.

"How about you wear your nice white button up shirt?" Grand May asked after he had pulled himself from the tub and had begun to dry off. The elderly woman had no knowledge of privacy.

"I don't like to wear Dad's old stuff." Birch huffed, using the thin and fraying piece of terry cloth as a way to cover up. Grand May smiled and put a hand on his cheek, "Would you wear it for me?"

Birch had a weakness for the old woman and would do anything for her. She _had _been the only one to take him in when no one else would. He shook his head but he knew one of his last glimpses of the only person he cared about would be from the stage at the Justice Building, in his dad's button up shirt she had asked him to wear.

"You need to be leaving soon." Grand May said as she left the washroom. Birch was out of the door and trudging beside the other children heading towards the square.

Birch stood placid and tall, keeping to himself and only moving to straighten his fingers out and clench his fist in.

"Name?" A peacekeeper woman asked, running her finger through a list of names on a tablet.

"Birch Mason." He replied strongly, keeping his eyes fixed on the screens in front of him where the Capitol logo twirled."

"Age?" She asked, clicking rapidly on her tablet.

"Sixteen." He continued. He knew the drill.

"Keep moving forward to the next station please." She said, looking around him to the next person in line.

The Capitol had provided tablets for everyone to vote on the tributes for the Quarter Quell. Birch did not waste any time in making his choices. He chose himself for the male tribute, not wanting to doom some other soul to his fate, and the only girl he knew who would be receiving one vote, Carol Dustin.

Birch took his place closest to the aisle he would soon be walking down. He kept his lips pulled into a tight line through the Mayor's introduction, District Seven's Capitol escort, Saffra Ivory, chatting away while results were tallied, or the video from the Capitol. His face did not twitch until the female tribute was announced.

"And your female tribute," Saffra squealed, "Pine Pyrmont!" A gasp rippled through the crowd as a small twelve year old girl pulled from the crowd, her head hanging.

Birch knew the girl. She lived a few doors down from Grand May and his house. Her family had been involved in the same ordeal as his parents had been, but she had two older sisters who were eligible for the games. Was his district really that cruel?

"And your male tribute, Birch Mason!" Saffra squealed. Birch was up on stage quickly wanting out of the spotlight and away from Pine so he did not have to think about the evil his district had just committed.

He spotted Grand May down in the crowd holding the hands of Pine's parents and looking up at him, giving him a message he would not ignore. He nodded ever so slightly as a reply before turning towards the Justice Building doors.


End file.
